CBS reveals 'Star Search' details, competition schedule

By Reality TV World staff, 01/02/2003

CBS has announced that "Star Search," a one-hour variety/talent series hosted by Arsenio Hall and inspired by the original "Star Search" television program (1983-1995), which helped launch the careers of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Ray Romano, Sinbad and Martin Lawrence, among others, will be broadcast live twice a week for four weeks, beginning with its premiere on Wednesday, Jan. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) and on Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) beginning on Jan. 9. "Star Search" will have its finale on Thursday, Feb. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT).

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"Star Search" will be a nine-episode, bi-weekly, one-hour series featuring live tournament-style competitions in four categories -- adult singer, junior singer, comic and supermodel -- culminating in the grand-prize winning STAR in each category. Voting will be done by a panel of both celebrity judges and viewers at home via the Internet who will determine the winners.

The suspense will build each week, as the competition will have two performers competing head-to-head in each category, with the winners advancing to the semi-final round and, possibly, the grand finale.

To clarify, episodes one, two, three, five, six and seven will be "first round" matchups. Winners of episodes one, two and three will advance to episode four, the first semi-final. Winners of episodes five, six and seven will advance to episode eight, the second semi-final. Episode nine will be the grand finale in which two semi-final winners from each category will compete for the $100,000 grand prize.

Multi-talented actor/comedian Arsenio Hall is perhaps best known to television audiences for his successful six-year run as host and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning "The Arsenio Hall Show." He began his career in Chicago as a standup comedian, eventually touring with more than 25 headliners. His additional television credits include "Martial Law" on the Network and hosting the "MTV Video Music Awards" for four consecutive years (1988-91). He also co-starred in the hit motion picture "Coming to America" and "Harlem Nights."